Anwar Shahadat, BROOKLYN, New York-Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn today, 22nd August, 2026, took on a different character. On Saturday, sections of the major Brooklyn thoroughfare were closed to regular vehicle traffic for NYC’s Summer Streets program.
The temporary closure stretched along Eastern Parkway from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue, creating an open public space for pedestrians, cyclists, families, and community activities. NYPD barricades and traffic controls were visible at intersections along the route as the city redirected vehicles and opened the roadway for recreational use.
The event brought a mix of weekend activities to the parkway, including walking, cycling, recreation, public installations, and community-oriented activities. Areas along the route also featured opportunities for visitors to stop, browse, and participate in the informal street-fair atmosphere.
The eastern end of the route near Buffalo Avenue served as one of the designated rest-stop areas, while other activity points were positioned along Eastern Parkway.
For Brooklyn residents and visitors, the temporary transformation offered a chance to experience one of the borough’s best-known boulevards primarily as public space rather than a busy traffic corridor.
The scenes throughout the day- from NYPD barricades and pedestrian-filled streets to vendors, activities, and people enjoying the open roadway- captured the distinctly local character of a summer weekend in Brooklyn.
